الآية رقم (3) - سَيَصْلَى نَارًا ذَاتَ لَهَبٍ

(3) - (He will [enter to] burn in a Fire of [blazing] flame. (3))

These scenes can be only seen on the Last Day. Allah (swt) makes what we actually see in life a proof about the truthfulness of what we have not seen of the hereafter matters. Since this speech is about the future, (will) is used.

This is Allah’s wisdom, that is to set forward the perceptual sensible matter to as a proof of the followed unseen one. Hence, the two first verses refer to issues in life while this third one is an indication about the hereafter.

الآية رقم (2) - مَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَسَبَ

(2) - (His wealth will not avail him or that which he gained. (2))

The wealth and the gains are mentioned because he was arrogant with them, he used to say: If what my nephew say is true, I will redeem myself with my money and children. Thus Allah (swt) answered back with this saying that his wealth will not avail him or save him from the Allah’s punishment.

The scholars have two opinions about this verse: First, money is the origin that a person possesses then comes the gains and profits. The second opinion is that the gain means children according to the Prophet’s (saws) hadith:

“The Messenger of Allah said: “The best (most Pure) food that a man eats is that which he has earned himself, and a man’s child (and his child’s wealth) is part of his earnings”[1]

Then the Surah moves to talk about the retribution in the hereafter:

[1] Sunan Abi Dawood, hadith No. 3528.

الآية رقم (1) - تَبَّتْ يَدَا أَبِي لَهَبٍ وَتَبَّ

(1) - (May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he. (1))

تَبَّتْ (be ruined): Be broken apart and destructed.

The hands symbolize the man as a whole because most of the human’s deeds are done by his hands. For that, Allah (swt) says:

   ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ  ﴿

 (That is for what your hands have put forth.) (Ali-Imran: 182)

Abu Lahah is the uncle of the Prophet (saws) and his real name is Abdul Uzzah. He was called so because he had reddish face but he is called in this Surah by his nickname because he is going to be in the fire forever so that his nickname matched his destiny.

This verse is not an invocation because Allah’s (swt) command definitely comes true and is fulfilled does not need anyone else to fulfill it, the proof of this is Allah’s (swt) saying (and ruined is he), indeed, it really happened and was fulfilled accordingly.

In life his destruction cut him off although he was one of the most famous and wealthiest people in Makkah but he dies in a humiliating way that cannot be imagined to happen for the lowest ranked and positioned in Makkah society. Abu Rafi’, the Prophet’s (saws) servant, narrated what happened to Abi Lahab:

(Allah stroke him by so-called Al-Adassa disease and killed him. His two sons kept his dead body for two or three days until the dead body started to stink. One day, a Qurayshi man said to his sons, “Woe on you! Shame on you! Your father’s dead body began to stink in your house” They said, “We are afraid of his disease!”. Quraysh was avoiding this disease of “Addasah” same as avoiding the plague. The man said, “Come on! I will help you.” He said: I swear by Allah, they washed him by sprinkling some water from distance. Then, they dragged it to the upper part of Makkah and buried the body there. Then, they covered it with stones.)[1]

Thus, Allah’s promise was fulfilled in life before the hereafter.

The reason of this Surah’s revelation: When the verse of:

   وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ﴿

 (And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred.) (Ash-Shuara: 214)

was revealed, the Prophet (saws) ascended Safa mountain and said, “Oh Sabah! “ All the Quraish gathered round him and said, “What is the matter?” He said, Look, if I told you that an enemy is going to attack you in the morning or in the evening, would you not believe me?” They said, “Yes, we will believe you.” He said, “I am a warner to you in face of a terrible punishment.” On that Abu Lahab said, “May you perish! Is it for this thing that you have gathered us?” So Allah revealed: ‘Perish the hands of Abu Lahab!…”[2]

[1] Al-Mu’jam Al-Kabeer, Hadith No. 916.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 4687.

الآية رقم (3) - فَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا

(3) - (Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance. (3))

Then declare the perfection of your Master and pray to him as thanking for His blessings upon, and seek His forgiveness for you and for your followers.

Asking forgiveness of Allah (swt) from the side of the Prophet (saws) was because of not doing the best, not because of any sin or guilt he (saws) has committed.

Sayedah A’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) said:

The Messenger of Allah (saws) recited often these words: Hallowed be Allah and with His praise, I seek the forgiveness of Allah and return to Him. She said: I asked: Messenger of Allah, I see that you often repeat the saying” subhan allahi bihamdihi astag firullahi watubuilaih” whereupon he said: My Lord informed me that I would soon see a sign in my Ummah, so when I see it I often recite (these) words: Hallowed be Allah and with His Praise, I seek forgiveness of Allah and return to Him. Indeed I saw it (when this verse) was revealed:” When Allah’s help and victory came, it marked the victory of Mecca, and you see people entering into Allah’s religion in troops, celebrate the praise of Thy Lord and ask His forgiveness. Surely He is ever returning to Mercy.”

Exaltation means not attributing any characteristics or notions that are not befitting to the divine nature of Allah (swt). Examples of the verses that contain the exaltation:

  ﴾سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ﴿

 (Exalted is He who took His Servant…) (Al-Issra: 1)

 ﴾سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿

 (Exalted is He who created all pairs – from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.) (Yaseen: 36)

 ﴾فَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ حِينَ تُمْسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصْبِحُونَ ﴿

 (So exalted is Allah when you reach the evening and when you reach the morning.) (Ar-Room: 17)

 ﴾سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى ﴿

 (Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High,) (Al-A’laa: 1)

So, Exalting of Allah (swt) means to regard Allah as pure and free from every blemish.

بِحَمْدِ رَبِّكَ (with praise of your Lord): The Arabic word “praise” is infinitive, meaning, to praise your Lord in a decent way. It is Allah’s favour on His servants that He (swt) taught them how to praise Him (swt) by saying (Al-Hamdullellah) (All Praise to Allah). Thus, Allah (swt) did not leave it to our various methods and languages to decide the ways of praising. So (Then exalt [Him] with praise of your Lord) means to praise Him (swt) in the way He (swt) taught us. Due to this, the Prophet (saws) was saying in his supplication:

“I cannot count Your praises. You are as You have praised Yourself”

Or it may mean, say: (Subhanallah Wa Behamdehi) or (Subhanallah Wa Al-Hamdullillah).

وَاسْتَغْفِرْهُ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ تَوَّابًا (and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance): If the Holy Qur’an had been from other than Allah (swt), it would have been written in a different manner.

Linguistically, the explanation should be suitable to the command, that is to be (and ask forgiveness of Him, indeed He is ever the Forgiver) or (and repent to Him, indeed He is ever Accepting repentance).

But the Quranic composition is other than that, that is to bring two matters, each of them has two elements, in this case we have four elements, two for each matter of them. In other words, (and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance) means (and ask forgiveness of Him. Indeed, He is ever forgiver and repent to Him.

Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance). Thus, one statement concludes two matters: The repentance and the ask for forgiveness.

What is the difference between to ask for forgiveness and to ask for repentance? Asking for forgiveness is done after committing a sin while asking for repentance means to return back to the divine method of Allah (swt) with the intention of never going back to the sin.

The speech is directed to the Prophet (saws) which means it is directed to the whole nation as well. That is why we find Allah (swt) saying in some verses:

    ﴾ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ ﴿

 (Indeed, Allah of what you do, is Seeing.) (Al-Baqara: 110)

The Arabic word (you) is in plural form not in singular.

This is the apparent meaning of Surah Al-Nasr which every reciter of it may understand whereas, there are meanings beyond the words have to be pondered upon and concluded.

    ﴾أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ  ﴿

 (Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an?) (An-Nissa: 82)

We should not stop at the apparent meaning, rather we have to search for what behind it. Thus, Allah (swt) states to us many matters, additionally, gives us a great favour through teaching us how to praise Him and how to ask for forgiveness and repentance.

(Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said:

‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) used to make me sit with the noble elderly men who had participated in the battle of Badr. Some of them disliked it and said to ‘Umar: “Why do you bring in this boy to sit with us when we have sons like him?” ‘Umar replied: “Because of the status he has, which you already know about (i.e., belongs to the source of knowledge and the house of the Prophet (ﷺ)).” One day, ‘Umar called me and seated me in the gathering of those people; and I think that he called me just to show them (of my religious knowledge). ‘Umar then questioned them (in my presence). “How do you interpret the ayah of Allah: ‘When there comes the Help of Allah (to you, O Muhammad (ﷺ) against your enemies) and the Conquest (of Makkah).”‘ Someone said that when Allah’s Help and the Conquest (of Makkah) came to us, we were called upon to celebrate the Praise of Allah and ask for His forgiveness. Some others remained silent and did not utter a word. Thereupon ‘Umar asked me: “Ibn ‘Abbas! Do you say the same.” I replied: “No”. He said: “What do you say then?” I replied: “That is the sign of the Prophet’s death about which he had been informed. Allah, the Exalted, says: ‘When there comes the help of Allah (to you, O Muhammad (saws) against your enemies) and the Conquest (of Makkah)’. So declare the remoteness of your Rubb from every imperfection, and ask for His forgiveness. Verily, He is the One Who accepts the repentance and Who forgives”. On that ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) said: “I do not know anything about it other than what you have said”.[1]

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book of Al-Maghazi, (Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (saws), hadith No. 4043.

الآية رقم (2) - وَرَأَيْتَ النَّاسَ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ أَفْوَاجًا

(2) - (And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes, (2))

Did all the people entered in the religion of Allah (swt)?
Of course not, this is not the meaning. That is why when the Prophet (saws) said:

“I have been commanded (by Allah) to fight people until they testify that there is no true god except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and perform Salat and pay Zakat. If they do so, they will have protection of their blood and property from me except when justified by Islam, and then account is left to Allah”.[1]

This does not mean that he (saws) would fight all people, but just those who would fight him (saws).

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book of faith, Hadith No. 25

الآية رقم (1) - إِذَا جَاء نَصْرُ اللَّهِ وَالْفَتْحُ

(1) - (When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest, (1))

Telling about the unseen is plenty in the Book of Allah (swt) and this Surah is one of them. In it Allah (swt) informs about how support, stabilization and triumph will the Islamic call will be established in future after all what its followers have been through from oppression and siege that closed the earth on them until there was not any glimpse of hope of victory.

However, out of the black darkness, the light emerges, the Prophet (swt) received the revelation while he (saws) was suffering from the siege, telling him (saws): (When the victory of Allah has come and the conquest (1) And you see the people entering into the religion of Allah in multitudes, (2)). This is the miraculous Qur’an and this is one of its great miracles. Would the Prophet (saws) has told the people these words from his own while contrary events might come later on?? Of course, no.

The Prophet (saws) was sure it is a revelation from Allah (swt), Who owns the reasons of victory and no power what so ever can disagree or prevent execution of His will. The Prophet (saws) announces these words of His Lord which became a Qur’an being recited and worshiped through.

This Surah was revealed before any victory or conquest took place and it has an apparent meaning and a concealed one.

نَصْرُ اللَّهِ (the victory of Allah): Victory is a consequence of battle between two parties when one of them overcomes the other.

وَالْفَتْحُ (the conquest): To enter into the religion without fight.

As if these verses brought to the Prophet (saws) a good tiding of the events; victory and conquest. Victory indicates strength and the conquest indicates peace. So, Allah the Wise (swt) willed to give His Prophet (saws) two kinds of support, in war and in peace. Looking in the Islamic call, we find that it has spread in the whole world uniquely throughout the history.

This widespread was due to two elements; the first one is the military power of the conqueror and the second is the principles and the moral values which attracted people to Allah’s (swt) religion by which they saw their salvation from the corruption they were suffering from.

After the Prophet (saws) won and his call to Allah (swt) raised, they hurried to it, so that, people entered into the religion of Allah (swt) in multitudes, whereas, previously they were entering into it individually.

Hence, we are in front of a victory in the battle field and a conquest in which people entered into the religion of Allah (swt) peacefully.

الآية رقم (6) - لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِيَ دِينِ

(6) - (For you is your religion, and for me is my religion. (6))

Those who were compromising the Prophet (saws) will have children who will convert to Islam as indicated in the next Surah “Al-Nassr” which gives good tiding that the people will enter into the religion of Allah (swt) in multitudes, among them will be the  children and grand children of those disbelievers, subsequently, the disbelief community will no longer be in the face of the belief community because this is the only religion.

Farwah bin Nawfal quoted that the Prophet (saws) said to Nawfal (his father):

“Recite (the Surah) ‘Say, O you disbelievers!’ and then go to sleep at its end, for it is a declaration of freedom from polytheism.”[1]

 

[1] Sunan Abi Dawud, Book of supplications, chapter what to say ehwn going to sleep, hadith No. 5055.

الآية رقم (4-5) - وَلَا أَنَا عَابِدٌ مَّا عَبَدتُّمْ - وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ

(4-5) - (Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship. (4) Nor will you be worshippers of what I worship. (5))

Nor in the future, there will be any negotiation about this present announcement.

This verse denies that they will believe in future, that is, they will die on their present condition.

الآية رقم (3) - وَلَا أَنتُمْ عَابِدُونَ مَا أَعْبُدُ

(3) - (Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. (3))

The Prophet (saws) abide to announce these verses literally as they contain statement from Allah (swt) not from him (saws).

I do not worship what you worship. (2) Nor are you worshippers of what I worship. (3)

Meaning, no compromise neither from my side nor from your side, there is no way to meet or to agree because your method in belief and your vision about God differ from mine.

Your method is from yourselves, whereas my method is from Allah (swt), thus, we cannot meet as meeting in the middle of the road can be among changeable humans as you, but the divine method cannot meet with those who are in contradiction with its basis.

Allah (swt) does not change because of people rather people should change for the sake of Allah (swt).

الآية رقم (2) - لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ

(2) - (I do not worship what you worship. (2))

(do not) indicates now and future. This Surah was revealed because the disbelievers of Quraysh invited the Messenger of Allah (saws) to worship their idols for a year and they would in turn worship his God for a year, so they wanted to divide the worship by time.

Worship is fundamental in all the doctrines. It is not a legislation that is subjected to change by time and place, or from nation to another. However, the command of worshipping only Allah (swt) with no partners, is a matter that is agreed by all from Adam (pbuh) until the last Messenger (saws) and it does not change as the circumstances and conditions change.

الآية رقم (1) - قُلْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْكَافِرُونَ

(1) - (Say, "O disbelievers, (1))

The speech in this Surah is directed to the Prophet Muhammad (saws). This shows the Prophet’s (saws) honesty in the duty of notification from Allah (swt).

Verify, reciting the Holy Qur’an is a form of worship, in every single letter of it.

الْكَافِرُونَ (disbelievers): They are specifically a section of disbelievers, whom Allah (swt) had known that they will never believe, they are the masters of polytheism in Mecca.

Those people are in one side and the Prophet (saws) in on the opposite one.

يَا أَيُّهَا (O’): This form of calling is used for a distant one. It is used to express either an extra degree of respect or contempt, because being distant has two indications, either a high rank and far status at Allah (swt) or a low rank and far status from Allah (swt).

Thus, when Allah (swt) addresses His Prophet (saws) by:

 يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ﴿

 (O Prophet,..) (Al-Anfal: 64)

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ﴿

 (O Messenger,,..) (Al-Maaidah: 41)

These two callings here carry the meaning of superior status and position and they are on the contrary of the calling in the verse we are explaining.

However, the Prophet (saws) went to the disbelievers gathering and announced to all this verse which represents a cut-off of the relation connected with worship.

Allah (swt) does not say (O you who disbelieved) because they were not believers before that, rather they were engaged in disbelief from the first beginning.

As the Arabic word of disbelief means covering, this illustrates the instinct of faith, which is the covered.

الآية رقم (3) - إِنَّ شَانِئَكَ هُوَ الْأَبْتَرُ

(3) - (Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off. (3))

Meaning, indeed, the one who dislikes you is the one who is cut off from lineage or from any good.

As mentioned, this verse was revealed to correct the human standards according to the divine ones. For the repute is not through the lineage and the relatives, whereas it is through the value and the effect. Thereof, the Messenger (saws) is not the one who is cut off because his lineage is connected to all his nation’s children. Whereas, the cut off one is that who claimed the Messenger of that.

The remembrance of the Messenger (saws), even after his death, will continue, on the tongues of his followers and in their hearts and souls, through the calling of prayer (Athan) and in every time until Allah (swt) will inherit the earth and whoever is on it. Hence, whenever his name (saws) is mentioned, there is a mention of one of Allah’s (swt) rule, so how it comes that the Messenger is cut off!!!

The Messenger’s repute is connected with the hereafter, Allah (swt) says:

 وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ ﴿

 (And raised high for you your repute.) (Ash-Sharh: 4)

On the Day of Judgement, the Messenger’s (saws) repute will be raised above all the humans from Adam (pbuh) till the Resurrection Day, where all the Prophets (pbut) will refuse to intercede, the one who will accept to hold the intercession is only the Prophet Muhammad (saws). So, his repute is raised high over those who came before him and who comes after him.

We notice that in replying to those who said that the Messenger is cut off, Allah (swt) did not say (No , you are not cut off), rather the reply is: (Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar), since the one who is given Al-Kawthar, is never ever cut off.

شَانِئَكَ (your enemy): This indicates that the animosity is directed to him (saws) personally and to his calling to Allah (swt) and the method. They were saying:

   وَقَالُوا لَوْلَا نُزِّلَ هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنُ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ مِّنَ الْقَرْيَتَيْنِ عَظِيمٍ﴿

 (And they said, “Why was this Qur’an not sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities?”) (Az-Zukhruf: 31)

They disliked him because he has come with this great Islamic method and  overpowered them with argument and proof, additionally, their attempts to prevent him have all failed, they accused him of being a poet, a magician and a soothsayer, and when they failed to find any faults in the Holy Qur’an they started to disgrace him (swt), but Allah (swt) replied to them by a similar way. This is a general law that the characteristic is connected with the doer, whether exists or not. In other words, whoever dislikes the Messenger of Allah (saws) is cut off in general, not in particular those who claimed that he is cut off because the moral lies in the general meaning, not in the specific reason.

الآية رقم (2) - فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْ

(2) - (So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]. (2))

This is a normal command after what is mentioned before, because what Allah (swt) has given to His Messenger necessitates that it be responded to by thanking.

فَصَلِّ (So pray): The Messenger is being told to be consistent in prayer and be thankful for the sake of his Master due to the abundant and the blessings that He (swt) has given to him. This is the least that you may do in return.

وَانْحَرْ (sacrifice): Indicates spending. That is, as Allah (swt) has bestowed you with blessings, so you have to give others. Allah (swt) says:

  وَآتُوهُم مِّن مَّالِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي آتَاكُمْ﴿

 (…and give them from the wealth of Allah which He has given you..) (An-Nour: 33)

 وَأَحْسِن كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ﴿

 (And do good as Allah has done good to you.) (Al-Qassass: 77)

The Messenger of Allah (swt) said:

“Allah helps His slave as long as he helps his brother.”[1]

Some people say: I have accustomed to give the people, so Allah let me accustomed to His grants, thus I do not want to stop my grants so that Allah (swt) would not stop His to me.

The scholars have two opinions about interpreting this verse:

Some of them said: It refers to the prayer and sacrifice in general; that is, slaughter animals and distribute them to the poor.

Others said: It means slaughter of the animals on Eid al Adha. But this opinion may limit a wide meaning because the relationship between the Messenger of Allah (saws) and His Lord is not bounded, so that the prayer cannot be limited to just the prayer of Eid. The Messenger (saws) has been raised to the praiseworthy and nearness position, which is one of the characteristics of the Messenger (saws).

Accordingly, we may say that the prayer and the sacrifice meant in this verse are absolute, and as Allah (swt) has granted His Messenger (saws) Al-Khawthar, which is unlimited favour, then the prayer is unbounded and the bestowments should not be limited as well.

[1] Sahih Muslim, hadith No. 2699

الآية رقم (1) - إِنَّا أَعْطَيْنَاكَ الْكَوْثَرَ

(1) - (Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar. (1))

Al-Kawthar is the abundance of all goodness, foremost among which is the river in Paradise.

This speech is directed to our Messenger (saws), Allah (swt) mentions His great bestowment on His honorable Messenger (saws).

This Surah is one of Makki Surahs in which Allah (swt) wills to return the earthly measures to the Divine ones and the humans standards to the Divine standards, as the humans’ standards are plenty and conflicting while the Divine standards are one, the method is one, there is not any conflict between them.

The revelation reason of this Surah becomes clear to us when we understand the nature of the Arabic life and the Pre-Islamic practices. People at that time were very proud of boys as they are the ones who will keep their descendants and remembrance after their death. Thus, it was common to say: Who has no child, had no one to remember him. Consequently, they cared about lineage and saved it.

However, when the Prophet’s (saws) male children died, the disbelievers were happy because his (saws) lineage was cut, thinking that the message would then end as a result. This is their concept, whereas of Allah (swt) standards, the lineage is not connected with humans’ lineage. For the lineage of the Prophet (saws) is his nation’s children and his followers who obey his orders even after his death till the Last Day. That is why one of the orientalists expresses the truth by his saying: “I am very surprised that a man like Muhammad is still governing millions of people even though he is dead in his grave.” This is his point of view, while for us, we know this truth since Allah (swt) says:

    وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ فِيكُمْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﴿

 (And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah.) (Al-Hujurat: 7)

Thus, Allah (swt) willed to please His Messenger (saws) and soothe the effect of the saying of his society, so He (swt) said to him: (Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar). These words are of Allah’s (swt), the granter, the Messenger (saws) is the receiver of this speech and he is the granted, the grant is Al-Kawthar. So what is Al-Kawthar?

الْكَوْثَرَ  (Al-Kawthar): The Arabic word means the abundant good.

Thus, it concludes the plentiful good in all the aspects; money, prestige, health and children. So Allah (swt) has given the Messenger (saws) an abundance of every good that could ever be given.

Anas Ibn Malek (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that:

“One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was sitting amongst us that he dozed off. He then raised his head smilingly. We said: What makes you smile. Messenger of Allah? He said: A Sura has just been revealed to me, and then recited: In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Verily We have given thee Kauthar (fount of abundance). Therefore turn to thy Lord for prayer and offer sacrifice, and surely thy enemy is cut off (from the good). Then he (the Holy Prophet) said: Do you know what Kauthar is? We said: Allah and His Messenger know best. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: It (Kauthar) is a canal which my Lord, the Exalted and Glorious has promised me, and there is an abundance of good in it. It is a cistern and my people would come to it on the Day of Resurrection, and tumblers there would be equal to the number of stars. A servant would be turned away from (among the people gathered there). Upon this I would say: My Lord, he is one of my people, and He (the Lord) would say: You do not know that he innovated new things (in Islam) after you. Ibn Hujr made this addition in the hadith:” He (the Holy Prophet) was sitting amongst us in the mosque, and He (Allah) said: (You don’t know) what he innovated after you”[1]

However, the interpreters differ in regard of Al-Kawthar meaning. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Al-khawthar is something very great and plentiful and this is one of it. But why did they differ in interpreting this word?

Because if they were to interpret it as Prophethood, but the Messenger has known that he is a messenger, on the other hand, if they were to interpret it as the Qur’an, but the Messenger was the receiver of the Qur’an and the first one to be affected by it and if they said that it means the raising of the Messenger’s remembrance in the two testimonies , but it is well known to the Messenger of Allah (saws).

However, the Messenger (saws) interpreted Al-Kawthar as a bestowment in the hereafter, because it is a hidden matter, so the Messenger (saws) did not interpret it by a seen matter, but this does not mean to ignore its meaning of abundant goodness. For we do really know that when Allah (swt) says (We) then, after it, certainly, there is a great matter of great grant, because this pronoun indicates glorification, as when Allah (swt) says:

        إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ ﴿

 (Indeed, it is We who sent down the Qur’an and indeed, We will be its guardian.) (Al-Hijr: 9)

Because the Holy Qur’an is a great matter.

Thus, when Allah (swt) says: (We have granted you). Definitely, this grant is great, in parallel with the greatness of the Granter (swt) and His capabilities in His dominion. So, you can imagine its greatness, in addition to conclude the river in the Paradise.

[1] Sahih Muslim, Book of Salah, hadith No. 400.

الآية رقم (7) - وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ

(7) - (And withhold assistance. (6))

The assistance is anything that can help and is beneficial, such as, a needle, an axe, a pot and others of the house instruments that can be borrowed and that which are not found in all houses since the poor do not have them. On the other hand, the assistance may refer to the all the good deed in general.

Thus, this is another characteristic of the materialist humans, that is connected with driving away the orphan.

Humans’ ways of dealing with the material issues in life are indeed connected with understanding the Islamic method, that is, the human soul naturally loves money and very assiduous in collecting it, so that, when money becomes insignificant to you, against what Allah (swt) commands you to do, then, you know that you are on the true path, otherwise, you are on the opposite side, in this case you have to reconsider yourself.

Pondering upon this Surah, we find that it includes commands that are connected with material issues which are the pillars of life and it includes, as well, innermost matters represented by the true prayer that leads to closeness to Allah (swt).

When these matters become straight the whole society becomes straight since everyone will feel that his loyalty is just to Allah (swt).

From here we notice the relation between Surah Al-Maa’un and Surah Quraysh which ends with:

    الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍ ﴿

 (Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear.) (Quraysh: 4)

By which we realize that the essence of religion relates to granting the good to others.

 

الآية رقم (6) - الَّذِينَ هُمْ يُرَاؤُونَ

(6) - (Those who make show [of their deeds] (5)

Those who pretend doing the deeds for the sake of Allah (swt) but indeed, they are not, rather, their deeds are to satisfy people.

The one who make show of his prayer has just one aim that is to be pointed as worshipper, so he cares about how people look at him, without taking into consideration that Allah (swt) is looking at him. Shad’da Ibn Aws (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“I heard the Prophet (saws) said: “The thing that I most fear for my nation is polytheism and the hidden desire, I said: O’ Messenger of Allah, may your nation have an association with Allah (swt) after you? He (saws) said: “Yes, for they do not worship the sun or the moon neither a stone or an idol, rather, they make show of their deeds”.[1]

[1] Majma’ Al-Zawaed, Hadith No. 5226.

الآية رقم (5) - الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَن صَلَاتِهِمْ سَاهُونَ

(5) - (Who are heedless of their prayer -. (4)

سَاهُونَ (heedless): Inattentive of their prayer, delay it from its time.

Those who just perform the outer acts of the prayer without applying its meaning and essence. Allah (swt) says:

     ﴾إِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ تَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ﴿

 (Indeed, prayer prohibits immorality and wrongdoing,)
(Al-Ankaboot: 45)

It is a great mercy of Allah (swt) towards His Servants that He (swt) made the woe for those who are heedless of their prayer, not heedless during their prayer. That is why when a Bedouin heard this verse said: All praise is due to Allah (swt) that He said: (of their prayer) and did not say: (during their prayer) because all of us may be subjected to  heedless in our prayer, even the devout people and those who establish the prayer rightfully.

الآية رقم (4) - فَوَيْلٌ لِّلْمُصَلِّينَ

(4) - (So woe to those who pray. (4)

The reason of revelation: Ibn Al-Munther narrated that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said about this verse that: It was revealed because of the hypocrites, who used to pray, only to be seen, in the presence of the believers, but when the believers were absent they used to leave the prayer, additionally, they used to withhold them borrowing.

فَوَيْلٌ (woe): Indicates the disgrace, torture and destruction.

This is a threat directed to those who are considered of those who pray and believe sincerely in Allah (swt), while, in fact, they perform the worship deeds and rituals apparently; their hearts do not have any submission or faith or obedience. This condition is explained clearly in the noble Hadith which was narrated by Abo Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that:

“A man entered the mosque and started praying Then (after finishing the prayer) the man came to the Prophet (saws) and greeted him. The Prophet (saws) said to him, “Go back and pray, for you have not prayed. The man went back, and having prayed, he came and greeted the Prophet. The Prophet (saws) after returning his greetings said, “Go back and pray, for you did not pray (repeated it three times)”.[1]

Hence, prayer is not established by just outer acts, rather, it is the act of heart too. In this verse Allah (swt) is threatening those who perform the prayer while ignoring its essence. This is because the prayer is the pillar of faith, whoever establishes it, he, as if, establishes the religion, and whoever leaves it, he, as if, destroys the religion.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book of description of prayer, hadith No. 724.

الآية رقم (3) - وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ

(3) - (And does not encourage the feeding of the poor. (3)

This is the second characteristic of the those who denies the Recompense, the first one was driving away the orphan.

When an orphan or a poor come to you while you do not have anything to give them, the least you do is to encourage others to give them, this is the weakest of faith.

These deeds are kind of worships that the Holy Qur’an tells us about, they are economic and social worships, as if, encouraging the feeding and helping of the poor, passing the good things to others and applying the social solidarity among the members of society is one of the basis of doctrine principles regarding the worships relate to economic and society.

Then, the Surah moves to another kind of worship that is the prayer, which is the pillar to other acts of worship:

الآية رقم (2) - فَذَلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ

(2) - (For that is the one who drives away the orphan (2)

He believes in Allah (swt) and the message, but there is weakness and doubt in his behavior, that is because he is far from the method and the understanding of the requital in the hereafter, if he was to recall the scenes of the punishment, he would not have dared to disobey the method or commit any sin. It was narrated by Al-Harith Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that he passed by the Prophet (saws) so he asked him:

“How are you this morning O’Harithah?, He said: I woke up a true believer, The Prophet said: “look at what you are saying, each truth has a  reality, so what is the reality of your belief? He said: My self abstained from life, as if I am looking at the throne of my Lord prominent, and as if I am looking at the people of Paradise visiting their others, and as if I am looking at the people the Hell shouting in it, the Prophet said: “O’ Harithah, you comprehended, so keep on” repeated it thrice”[1]

Here we notice that the companion Al-Harithath (may Allah be pleased with him) described his faith as true, whereas this issue is very big, so that, the Prophet (saws) wanted to point out to the seriousness of the answer.

However, Allah (swt) in this verse indicated that who denies the Recompense, could be a believer, who believes in the essences of religion, but he does not fulfill the faith requirements doing such as of driving away the orphan.

يَدُعُّ  (drives away): This word shows how this behavior is ugly  and rude, to drive the orphan violently.

This person did not answer back the orphan with a word, rather, with a merciless act. The orphan is a weak child, does not have support or power, so driving away him is an immoral tough matter. The orphan needs pity, courtesy and support. Thus, when we care about the orphan, then we are doing a mission that Allah (swt) has assigned to us towards this weak human being.

Allah (swt) is Able to support and provide him with reasons of living better than what we have, but Allah (swt) wants to see from His Servants the evidences of their sympathy and co-operation. Allah (swt) wants as well to test them by their actions toward each other. Allah (swt) wants to see the reaction of His strong creatures towards the weak ones. As such, Allah (swt) named spending in His path as a loan to Him (swt):

  ﴾مَّن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً ۚ وَاللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ﴿

 (Who is it that would loan Allah a goodly loan so He may multiply it for him many times over? And it is Allah who withholds and grants abundance, and to Him you will be returned.) (Al-Baqara: 245)

When you give the poor or the orphan it is as if you give Allah (swt) a loan. When Allah (swt) clarifies to us this divine equation He is as if saying: If you take care of the orphan, the weak, and the needy and help them in doing their deeds, I will help you with your children and I will help your children as well and will guarantee that someone will support them after you:

   ﴾وَلْيَخْشَ الَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُوا مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّةً ضِعَافًا خَافُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَلْيَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا﴿

 (And let those [executors and guardians] fear [injustice] as if they [themselves] had left weak offspring behind and feared for them. So let them fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.)
(An-Nisaa: 9)

So, if you, O’ human, wants to guarantee your children’s life after you, do not think this is done by building a house or a palace or by depositing money in a bank or in insurance companies, rather this is done by depositing in the divine insurance company because your guarantee will be in Allah’s (swt) hands, He Who is:

   ﴾فَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا ۖ وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ ﴿

 (He is the most merciful of the merciful.) (Yussuf: 64)

In Surah Al-Kahf Allah (swt) presents to us a real example of this divine insurance concerning the children, through the story of Sayyidna Musa (pbuh) with the righteous servant:

   ﴾وَأَمَّا الْجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَامَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحْتَهُ كَنزٌ لَّهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبْلُغَا أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ﴿

 (And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord.) (Al-Kahf: 82)

Allah (swt) utilized someone who kept safe the treasure of the two orphans because their father was a righteous man, thereof, the righteous of the father brings the benefits to his children.

Another aspect of oppressing the orphans and the needy in the following verse:

[1] Shu’ab Al-Iman, the Book 71, hadith No. 10591.